Editing Phil Lesh (section)

=== Joining the Grateful Dead ===
Lesh was introduced to Jerry Garcia, the lead guitarist and founding member of the Grateful Dead, through mutual friends in the early 1960s. Though he had no formal experience as a bass player, Garcia invited Lesh to join his new band, then known as ''The Warlocks''. Lesh agreed and quickly transitioned from trumpet to bass guitar, adapting his classical and jazz knowledge to rock music. This unconventional path allowed him to bring a fresh perspective to the bass, and his melodic, almost conversational approach to the instrument became a cornerstone of the Grateful Dead’s sound.